Budget vote, BOE elections are June 9, 2020 | All votes to be cast by absentee ballot

In an executive order issued on May 1, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that this year’s school budget vote and board of education election will take place June 9, exclusively by absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Proposed budget calls for 0 percent tax levy increase

District voters will vote June 9 on a $50.3 million budget for 2020-2021 which, for the second year in a row, calls for a 0% increase in the tax levy.

Vigilant financial planning and economizing across all departments enabled the district to keep taxes steady.

All planning, though, was done against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented impact on state finances. Three periodic reviews of state revenue could result in mid-year cuts, district officials warn.

In March, school buildings were ordered closed and will remain shut through the end of the school year. Liberty schools, though, are not “closed.” Classes are held remotely, 1,400 student meals are prepared and delivered daily, and maintenance crews keep facilities clean and safe.

“These are incredibly challenging times, most especially for our students and families” said Dr. Augustine E. Tornatore, Superintendent of Schools. “As we navigate uncharted territory together, I am continually made proud of this community and this school district.”